Are you able to boil pasta?

[Franzl]

Motivated by a desire to learn about the Atlasians' cooking abilities.

[Cranberry]

If you can't do that you're really crap

[Randy Bobandy]

Only with assistance.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

At my age I need assistance for most things, so yes.

[dead0man]

Does reading the recipe/side of the box/instruction from the wife count as "assistance"?

[bedstuy]

Does reading the recipe/side of the box/instruction from the wife count as "assistance"?

What recipe would there be for "boiling pasta?"  We're talking about the same thing, right?  Boiling water, maybe with a pinch of salt, and cooking pasta until it's al dente.

If you can't do that, you should be getting some type of government pension.

[angus]

Boiling water

That I can do.

But if you're only cooking the pasta till it's "al dente" rather than fully cooked--which will, depending upon just how undercooked it is, dehydrate your body as it draws water out of your cells in order to hydrate itself, although this is usually a bigger problem with Raman noodles than with Spaghetti--then you should probably be getting some sort of government assistance. 

[bedstuy]

Boiling water

That I can do.

But if you're only cooking the pasta till it's "al dente" rather than fully cooked--which will, depending upon just how undercooked it is, dehydrate your body as it draws water out of your cells in order to hydrate itself, although this is usually a bigger problem with Raman noodles than with Spaghetti--then you should probably be getting some sort of government assistance. 

That's how most people like their pasta.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

I cook everynight, so I think I can handle pasta. 

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

Yes (normal, grew up with Italian food).

Boiling water

That I can do.

But if you're only cooking the pasta till it's "al dente" rather than fully cooked--which will, depending upon just how undercooked it is, dehydrate your body as it draws water out of your cells in order to hydrate itself, although this is usually a bigger problem with Raman noodles than with Spaghetti--then you should probably be getting some sort of government assistance. 

That's how most people like their pasta.

Not in my experience.

[Lief 🗽]

I agree with Angus. Al dente pasta is disgusting. Cook it all the way please, thanks.

[Simfan34]

What, no. I like my pasta firmer than most.

[WalterMitty]

i dont understand what 'assistance' bushie needs

[angus]

Yes (normal, grew up with Italian food).

Me too, more or less.  My father's mother was born in Italy and she always made pasta.  She started with flour and water and salt and I can't remember what else, and she'd spend all day making huge batches of various sizes and shapes.  And she invariably cooked it thoroughly. 

I've never done that.  I've always bought pasta dried from the store.  But I have boiled water to cook it.  The only trick with spaghetti is being patient enough to stick a handful in and kinda swirl it around as it softens a bit so that you can eventually curl it and get it into the pot without breaking it.  Alternatively, I know those who break it in half right away so they can avoid that step.  I like it long.

My wife also cooks lots of noodles, but of course never calls it pasta, and rarely decorates it with tomato-based sauce.

[TDAS04]

Yes.

[Starbucks Union Thug HokeyPuck]

i dont understand what 'assistance' bushie needs

Dealing with several (two) pans at a time can be overwhelmingly, apparently. 

[DemPGH]

Yeah, but to do it well is not as easy as it sounds. Watch a random cooking show - when anyone is cooking pasta, the "judges" usually rip them badly for how it is prepared. But the judges rip them badly for how they pour wine out of a bottle too, so so what?

Anyway, pasta underdone is nasty and overdone is mushy. You have to put an exact clock on it. I try to use whole grain pasta (penne or linguine, usually), and I note that it takes longer than regular pasta. I actually like it cooked through, but just barely - it's harder to get right than it sounds.

[Ban my account ffs!]

I only like al dente if it's homemade pasta or frozen fresh pasta.  Boxed stuff should be cooked a bit longer.

Also, salt the water.  Like dry pasta sucking water out of your system... unsalted pasta sucks flavor out of the sauce.  Your cooking water should be "salty like the sea".

[bedstuy]

Yeah, but to do it well is not as easy as it sounds. Watch a random cooking show - when anyone is cooking pasta, the "judges" usually rip them badly for how it is prepared. But the judges rip them badly for how they pour wine out of a bottle too, so so what?

Anyway, pasta underdone is nasty and overdone is mushy. You have to put an exact clock on it. I try to use whole grain pasta (penne or linguine, usually), and I note that it takes longer than regular pasta. I actually like it cooked through, but just barely - it's harder to get right than it sounds.

Or you could just grab a spoon and taste to see where you're at.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

At my age I need assistance for most things, so yes.

If your water is still boiling after 4 hours, you know you need to see a doctor, right Gramps?

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

I can boil ramen noodles.....

[Franzl]

82% without assistence? Wow. So many expert cooks here.

[angus]

Also, salt the water.  Like dry pasta sucking water out of your system... unsalted pasta sucks flavor out of the sauce.  Your cooking water should be "salty like the sea".

salty and oily.  The salt also prevents some dialysis if you eat it undercooked, although I caution against it.  The oil prevents the individual strands from adhering to one another while cooking.  Actually, my wife is into buying "sea" salt, so most of our food is salty like the sea.

(She also has a PhD in chemistry, and her subfield is considerably more marketable in the private sector than mine is, so I have a tendency listen to her when it comes to cooking.)

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

At my age I need assistance for most things, so yes.

If your water is still boiling after 4 hours, you know you need to see a doctor, right Gramps?

I'd kill for my water just to be boiling punk.

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

Yes, because I'm not 10.